Sony’s Crunchyroll subsidiary announced this month that the Crunchyroll Store will require a Mega Fan tier or higher starting summer 2026. That is on top of a subscription hike, ad tier changes, and the removal of several titles for exclusive licensing deals. If you signed up for Crunchyroll to watch anime and now feel like you signed up for a merch club, these Crunchyroll alternatives for Android cover different corners of the same catalogue.
We spent a week testing seven apps on an Android phone and a Chromecast, looking at catalogue depth for dubs and subs, video quality up to 1080p, ad load on free tiers, and whether the app supports background audio during commutes.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Paid tier | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiDive | Deep-cut catalogue | 14-day trial | Monthly plan | Older shows Crunchyroll dropped |
| Netflix | Simulcast originals | None | Monthly plan | Original productions, high-quality dubs |
| Tubi | Free with ads | Fully free with ads | None | Large licensed anime catalogue |
| Amazon Prime Video | Bundled with Prime | Prime membership | Prime membership | Included at no extra cost |
| Bilibili | China co-productions | Free with region check | Ad-free premium | Manhua-adjacent anime titles |
| Plex | Personal library | Fully free with ads | Plex Pass | Play files you already own |
| RetroCrush | Classic 80s and 90s anime | Free with ads | Ad-free monthly | Curated back catalogue |
Why people leave Crunchyroll
Reddit threads on r/Crunchyroll and r/anime capture the same friction.
The store paywall pushes tier upgrades
Sony’s announcement that Crunchyroll Store access requires Mega Fan or higher from summer 2026 was received poorly. Users who paid the basic subscription for streaming can no longer browse merchandise or manga on the same account without upgrading.
Simulcast titles are landing on rival platforms
Several fall 2025 and winter 2026 titles landed on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon rather than Crunchyroll. The exclusive-first-run promise that used to justify the price has weakened.
The Android app has playback bugs on older devices
Users on Snapdragon 6 series and older phones report freeze-on-resume issues and audio drift on longer episodes. Support tickets often close without a fix.
Dub production lags subs by weeks or months
For weekly viewers who prefer English dubs, wait times have grown. Some shows never get a dub at all, pushing viewers to platforms that license their own dub tracks.
The alternatives
HiDive — Best for anime Crunchyroll dropped
HiDive is the classic and deep-cut anime service that survived the Funimation merger. Its catalogue leans older, with a strong lineup of Sentai Filmworks licenses and simulcasts of titles Crunchyroll skipped. Uncensored versions of ecchi and comedy titles that Crunchyroll edits are common here.
Where it falls short: the interface is dated compared to Crunchyroll’s, and simulcast selection is narrower. Chromecast support has occasional buffering on 1080p streams.
Pricing:
- Free: 14-day trial.
- Paid: Monthly subscription, no ad-supported tier.
- vs Crunchyroll: Similar monthly price, different catalogue focus.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Chromecast.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: no import. Rebuild your watchlist manually. Budget an evening to browse.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick HiDive if Crunchyroll’s catalogue no longer has the older or edgier titles you want.
Netflix — Best for original productions and premium dubs
Netflix produces original anime in-house and licenses global exclusives. Titles like Devilman Crybaby, Cyberpunk Edgerunners, and Pluto exist because Netflix funded them. Dubs are recorded alongside the sub track for major titles, so English speakers watch on release day.
Where it falls short: the anime catalogue is uneven. Netflix keeps hit series but rotates out mid-tier ones without notice. There is no ad-free free tier.
Pricing:
- Free: None.
- Paid: Monthly plans across ad-supported and ad-free tiers.
- vs Crunchyroll: Netflix costs more but bundles the rest of its catalogue.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Smart TV, Chromecast, Web.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: your watchlist doesn’t transfer. Use MyAnimeList to track what to rewatch.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Netflix if you already have a subscription and want anime originals with same-day dubs.
Tubi — Best free anime with ads
Tubi carries a growing licensed anime catalogue that spans classic Ghibli-adjacent titles, older shonen series, and modern movies. The whole platform is free with pre-roll and mid-roll ads, funded entirely by advertising.
Where it falls short: no simulcasts of currently-airing shows. Ad load can hit six or seven breaks in a 24-minute episode during peak hours.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free, ad supported.
- Paid: None.
- vs Crunchyroll: Free forever versus paid subscription; smaller and older catalogue.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Smart TV, Chromecast, Web.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: no watchlist import. Search the show first to confirm availability.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Tubi if you want to watch anime without paying and can tolerate ad breaks.
Amazon Prime Video — Best for Prime members already
Amazon Prime Video carries anime exclusives and Sentai/Aniplex licenses that Crunchyroll does not. If you pay for Prime for shipping, Prime Video adds anime at no extra cost. Regional Amazon storefronts often carry different titles.
Where it falls short: the discovery UI treats anime as one category among many, so browsing is slower. Some titles need a Channels add-on to unlock.
Pricing:
- Free: Prime membership includes it.
- Paid: Prime monthly or annual.
- vs Crunchyroll: Free if you already pay for Prime.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Smart TV, Chromecast, Web.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: no import. Search each title on Prime to check availability in your region.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Prime Video if you already have Prime and treat anime as a bonus category.
Bilibili — Best for China-produced anime and donghua
Bilibili is a Chinese video platform with strong donghua (Chinese animated series) and anime co-productions. Titles like Link Click and The Daily Life of the Immortal King live here first. The English international app carries a subset with subtitles.
Where it falls short: the international app has a narrower catalogue than Bilibili’s Chinese version. Some titles are region-locked outside Asia.
Pricing:
- Free: Free with ads and region check.
- Paid: Premium subscription removes ads and unlocks members-only titles.
- vs Crunchyroll: Free tier covers a real chunk of the catalogue.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: no import. Create a Bilibili account with an email and rebuild your list.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Bilibili if donghua matters to you or you follow Chinese-anime crossover titles.
Plex — Best for playing anime you already own
Plex streams video from a server you run at home to any Android device. If you archived your own anime library from Blu-ray rips or personal purchases, Plex plays it anywhere. The Plex client also carries a growing free ad-supported channel with older anime series.
Where it falls short: it requires a home server or a NAS to run Plex Media Server on. The learning curve is real if you have never set up local streaming before.
Pricing:
- Free: Plex client, ad-supported free channel, self-hosted content.
- Plex Pass: Monthly or one-time for skip-intro, offline downloads, DVR.
- vs Crunchyroll: Free if you already own the anime.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Smart TV, Chromecast, Web.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: not the same use case. Plex works alongside a subscription service.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Plex if you have a collection worth streaming and don’t want to depend on rotating licenses.
RetroCrush — Best for classic 80s and 90s anime
RetroCrush is a niche service that focuses on classic anime from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. The catalogue is deep on Toei and Sunrise back-catalogue titles that Crunchyroll never picked up. It runs a free ad-supported tier and a cheap ad-free tier.
Where it falls short: nothing simulcast, no modern titles, and mobile playback quality caps at 720p. Some titles are region-locked to the US.
Pricing:
- Free: Full catalogue with ads.
- Paid: Ad-free monthly subscription.
- vs Crunchyroll: A fraction of the price for older titles.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Smart TV, Web.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: no import. Watchlist is small and easy to rebuild.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: Pick RetroCrush if you grew up on Toonami and want that catalogue on your phone.
How to choose
Pick HiDive if the reason you started paying Crunchyroll was the Sentai catalogue and older uncensored titles. Pick Netflix if you want big-budget originals with day-one English dubs. Pick Tubi if free with ads is fine and you don’t mind older content. Pick Amazon Prime Video if you’re already a Prime member. Pick Bilibili for donghua. Pick Plex if you archive your own anime library. Pick RetroCrush for a Toonami afternoon on a modern phone.
Stay on Crunchyroll if you exclusively watch new simulcasts week-to-week and can accept the Mega Fan tier upgrade. No alternative on this list matches simulcast coverage for currently-airing titles.
FAQ
What is the best free Crunchyroll alternative for Android?
Tubi carries the largest free licensed anime catalogue with ads. Bilibili’s free tier is a distant second and skews toward Chinese productions. RetroCrush is free with ads for classic titles.
Do any of these alternatives simulcast current-season anime?
HiDive and Netflix simulcast a subset of current-season shows. HiDive’s simulcast list is smaller than Crunchyroll’s but focuses on titles Crunchyroll skipped.
Which alternative has the best English dubs?
Netflix dubs its exclusives on day one. HiDive dubs a rolling selection of licensed titles.
Can I read manga on any of these?
None of these are manga apps. Crunchyroll Manga is being retired anyway. Use a dedicated manga service like Viz or Manga Plus instead.
Do any of these support offline downloads?
Netflix, Prime Video, and HiDive support offline downloads on Android. Tubi and RetroCrush stream only.
